Jila Well Dreaming (2003) by Rachel Jurra Napaltjarri 61x61cm, 7811RN

Jila Well Dreaming (2003) by Rachel Jurra Napaltjarri

"Jila Well Dreaming" by Rachel Jurra Napaltjarri portrays the landscape around Jila Well. Concentric circles represent camp sites, while U-shapes symbolise women gathering for ceremonies. Interlinking lines illustrate the flow of water between these sites, and the background iconography depicts the country, highlighting the small wooden sticks collected by Rachel and her family for firewood.

Rachel Napaltjarri was born in 1961 near Jila Well in the Western Desert of Central Australia. A proud Warlpiri woman, Rachel loved hunting and dancing, and her work captures the essence of her cultural heritage. She began painting in 1985 while taking a literacy course at the Institute of Aboriginal Development in Alice Springs, alongside close Warlpiri friends Audrey Martin Napanangka, Eunice Napangardi, Polly Napangardi, and Dorothy Napangardi.

Rachel was married to the late musician Isaac Yama and lived between Yuendumu and Hidden Valley, a town camp on the edge of Alice Springs. Her Dreaming totems include the Green Parrot, Pirki (Cave), Yarla, and Kangaroo.

Rachel passed away in April 2016, but her paintings are appreciated- for their rich storytelling and intricate depiction of Dreaming stories ensuring her legacy endures.